Porsche takes final pole for 919 Hybrid in Bahrain; Signatech Alpine claims 3rd LMP2 pole in 2017

Porsche took a final pole position with the ultra-successful 919 Hybrid as it bows out of competition at the Bapco 6 Hours of Bahrain.

Nick Tandy and Neel Jani combine to set a blistering 1m39.383s average in a thrilling qualifying session.

Claiming the No.1 Porsche 919 Hybrid’s third top spot of the season, Jani topped the times with a scintillating best lap of 1m39.084s to snatch the pole from the No.7 Toyota TS050 HYBRID of Mike Conway and José Maria Lopez.

Completing the second row of the LMP1 giants go to battle for the final time tomorrow afternoon.

The LMP2 category saw a fascinating grid order unfold as the Signatech Alpine duo of André Negrão and Gustavo Menezes combined to seal a third pole of the 2017 season for Les Bleues.

It was a fine performance form the Brazilian/US alliance as they swept to a 1m47.227s average to claim the pole by 0.3s. Menezes has an outside chance of taking back-to-back titles but with a 22-point deficit looks likely to have to reply on good fortune.

Lining up second and third in class will be the title protagonists, the No.38 Jackie Chan DC Racing and No.31 Vaillante Rebellion ORECA entries.

Bruno Senna and Julien Canal have a four point advantage heading in to the race tomorrow over Oliver Jarvis, Thomas Laurent and Ho-Pin Tung.

The Headlines from LMP qualifying
•    Nick Tandy and Neel Jani seal pole with average of 1m39.383s
•    Third pole of season for No.1 Porsche 919 Hybrid in final outing for car
•    Toyota place second as Mike Conway and José Maria Lopez combine but miss out on pole by 0.268
•    No.2 Porsche of champions Timo Bernhard and Brendon Hartley place third
•    No.8 Toyota TS 050 HYBRID starts fourth as Davidson and Nakajima qualify
•    LMP2 pole goes to Signatech Alpine as Andre Negrão and Gustavo Menezes combine to take third pole position of season with an average of 1m47.227
•    No.38 Jackie Chan DC Racing title chasers start second
•    Title leaders Bruno Senna and Julien Canal in No.31 Vaillante Rebellion entry start right behind rivals in third as they have four point advantage